SB 1.3 - Nṛsiṁha and Vāmana

Submitted by Radhikesh on Thu, 2011-06-23 09:28

(14) The Lord appeared as Nṛsiṁha and bifurcated the body of Hiraṇyakaśipu with His nails just as a woodcutter breaks erakā grass. He appeared in the Cākṣuṣa era before the churning of the ocean and the appearance of Kūrma. Kūrma, Dhanvantari, Mohinī and Nṛsiṁha appeared during the Cākṣuṣa manvantara.

(15) The Lord assumed the form of a dwarf-brāhmaṇa (Vāmana) and visited the arena of sacrifice arranged by King Bali. He simply asked for a donation of three steps of land, although at heart He was desiring to regain the kingdom of the three planetary systems, which were taken over from the demigods by Bali. The Lord can bestow upon anyone the kingdom of the universe and He can also take away the kingdom of the universe on the plea of begging a small piece of land. Vāmana appears thrice in the day of Brahmā. The first time during the Svāyambhuva era, he went to the sacrifice of the king of the demons called Vāskali, who drove Indra away from his kingdom. The Lord took three steps to recover the kingdom, and Vāskali requested to be killed by the Lord to get liberation. During the Vaivasvata era, Vāmana went to the sacrifice of Dhundhu. Dhundhu got power from Brahmā and drove the devatās from Svarga who fled to Brahma-loka. Dhundhu wanted to drive them away from Brahma-loka too and was advised by Śukrācārya to perform 100 horse sacrifices to gain entrance into Brahma-loka. Vāmana then appeared and begged three steps of land from Dhundhu. In the seventh yuga cycle of Vaivasvata era Vāmana was born to Aditi and Kaśyapa. All three forms appeared to take away land and then give them away.